U.S. Revamps
Policy on Torture
Of War Prisoners

The Bush administration issued a new definition of what constitutes torture of an enemy prisoner during interrogation, sharply scaling back its previous legal position that inflicting pain approaching that of organ failure or death was lawful, and retreating from earlier assertions that the president can authorize torture.

The 17-page memorandum issued by the Office of Legal Counsel, the Justice Department unit that provides definitive legal guidance for the executive branch, replaces a 50-page opinion issued in August 2002...